New York, NY (Top40 Charts) History was rewritten as "herstory" today as a classic children's song got a makeover for the modern age. Vocal powerhouse and soul songstress Maggie Rose and Grammy Award-winning Warner/Chappell songwriter Liz Rose collaborated to reimagine the song "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," introducing "She-I-O," a rousing anthem for a new generation that celebrates inclusion and champions women, just in time for Women's Equality Day, August 26.
"She-I-O" is the cornerstone of the new All Together Better initiative from Land O'Lakes, the farmer-owned cooperative that's owned and run by 1,791 farmers, many of whom are women. Land O'Lakes wanted to give a voice to the untold stories of the women who work hard to feed this nation.
Land O'Lakes pooled the talents of Americana-country-rock singer Maggie Rose and the grand dame of songwriting, Liz Rose, for the remake of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." Some of Liz's many songwriting credits include Taylor Swift's "Fearless,"
Little Big Town's "Girl Crush," Carrie Underwood's "
Cry Pretty" and Kenny Chesney's "Better Boat."
"'She-I-O' serves as a rallying cry for women breaking stereotypes, not just in dairy farming, but in every industry," said Maggie Rose. "I was thrilled to work with Liz Rose to rewrite the lyrics to the iconic 'Old MacDonald' song, turning it into an homage to America's hardworking women. There's beauty and strength in letting our voices be heard.
"I'm passionate about the message at the forefront of 'She-I-O,' which celebrates the power of inclusivity and the role women play in modern farming. My husband's family owns a cattle ranch in Missouri, so I've had a glimpse into what goes into putting food on our tables. Like so many of us, I grew up singing 'Old MacDonald' when I was young," said Maggie Rose. "Where you hear the lines 'on his farm' and 'he had a cow,' it's nice to finally add in the other half of the population."
But make no mistake, "She-I-O" isn't the stuff of nursery rhymes. It's an eloquent narrative for a new generation. The lyrics speak for themselves:
You know Old MacDonald had a daughter
She-I-She-I-O
Look what she does with what he taught her
She-I-She-I-O
She's got the future in her hands
She's proud her roots are where she stands
"She-I-O," which debuted on SoundCloud and will be available on iTunes beginning August 24, comes to life in a compelling music video, now streaming on Vevo and YouTube, which was directed by dynamic duo
Charlotte Fassler and Dani Girdwood of Similar But Different. Authenticity was key, which is why the video features the Dotterer sisters, their cousins and their daughters, just a few of the many real-life female farmers from the Land O'Lakes farmer-owned cooperative.
Also debuting as part of the All Together Better initiative is a three-part documentary series called In Their Words, produced by The Female Farmer Project, which chronicles the personal stories of some of these Land O'Lakes farmers. With women comprising approximately one-third of all U.S. farmers, In Their Words was created to celebrate these fearless females and create a dialogue around the importance of their role in the food chain. The series is available for viewing at https://www.landolakes.com/she-i-o/.
For the All Together Better initiative, Land O'Lakes and the Land O'Lakes Foundation have also partnered with Feeding
America to raise awareness around the issue of food insecurity. To honor the hardworking farmers who feed us all, Land O'Lakes will donate $1* to Feeding
America for every share, tag or comment on any of the "She-I-O" music video content on Land O'Lakes social channels, as well as the "She-I-O" music track, available on SoundCloud and iTunes, up to $100,000. Consumers are also encouraged to use the hashtag #AllTogetherBetter to add their voice to the cause.
"We are excited to be rewriting history and championing female farmers and women in all industries who are breaking glass ceilings and changing stereotypes," said Anna Squibb, senior manager, integrated marketing, dairy foods retail at Land O'Lakes. "All Together Better was built on the premise of inclusion, one of the core values at Land O'Lakes. In an increasingly divided world, we want to be a unifying force, and Women's Equality Day is the perfect moment in time to spotlight that intention. We're honored to work with Maggie Rose and Liz Rose, both of whom embody the boldness, strength and grit reflective of the female farmers who make up the Land O'Lakes cooperative."
Maggie Rose has been named to YouTube's Emerging Artist and Artist in Residence 2018 programs, and
Pandora named her an Artist to Watch 2018. Maggie's creative breadth and versatility sparked the first-ever partnership between Prescription Songs and Sea
Gayle Music, with the two companies signing a joint-venture publishing agreement with Maggie. Her highly anticipated album Change the Whole Thing drops to AAA radio in mid-August, and is released
September 21, with a corresponding tour recently announced. For more information about Maggie Rose, the album and tour dates, visit https://www.maggierosemusic.com/.
All Together Better is a multichannel campaign created by mostly female teams at The
Martin Agency and Land O'Lakes that also includes :30 and :60 TV spots, print executions and custom digital content. Consumers are encouraged to use #AllTogetherBetter as a way to connect their own lives to the Land O'Lakes story. For more information, please visit https://www.landolakes.com/who-we-are/.
